Australian musician Tash Sultana has lashed out at Christchurch City Council after being forced to finish a performance early on the weekend, telling their 1.1 million followers on Instagram that council members were about to unplug their speakers - but it appears this is not what happened.
Sultana was headlining Live in the Park at Hagley Park on Saturday when they had to cut their set short.
In a since expired Instagram Story viewed by Newshub, Sultana said: "Christchurch, thank you so much for tonight. I'm so sorry I couldn't play the end of my set. The COUNCIL were about to pull the PA system completely and made me get off the stage."
However, the event's organisers said they were responsible for bringing the event to an end when they did in order to adhere to venue rules.
A spokesperson for Christchurch City Council's events partnership said the unitary plan for the Hagley Park region requires any noise levels over 75db to cease at 10.30pm as part of the conditions of an event's permit.
Newshub understands no one from the Council attended the event in an official capacity to monitor the noise levels or to ensure permit conditions were adhered to.
Sultana was scheduled to start their performance at 9:15pm and Live in the Park promoter Callam Mitchell said it was "unfortunate that the event ran later than intended".
"It would have been more appropriate for Tash's comments to be directed at us as it was our team making decisions on the ground," Mitchell told Newshub.
"Christchurch City Council were not in attendance and there was never any threat from them that the system would be unplugged, so my apologies to [the Council] if it had been construed this way by the artist.
"We are always very clear with artists about curfews, and while we operated within the conditions of our event permit, it is unfortunate that the event ran later than intended. Tash captivated the audience with an amazing 75 minute set which was the scheduled set length.
"While we all would have loved to have seen Tash perform for longer, as the promoter of a number of events in Hagley Park each year, we have a responsibility to the Council, and to be considerate of our residential neighbours."
Sultana's management has been contacted for further comment.
